I receintly acquired two 94 Z28 project cars. One with a winpy auto trans and the other (an M6) with a leaky head gasket.
Both have torn air intake elbows. Neither car has been molested as far as I can tell.

Is this a normal problem with these cars???

 

oh yeah,if you take them on and off enough and arent carefull they will tear.i replaced the one on my old 95 z and current 95 z

 

mine ripped to and this is what i used.
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/TFS-315B800/

 

Several years ago I installed an LT1 in a 49 Mercury. Due to routing problems, I replaced the GM elbow with a heavy rubber 3 1/2" drain pipe elbow from a plumbing supply house. It works fine, just had to poke a hole in it for the temp sensor. It's marked Buckhorn Rubber Products, Inc. Part number P114318. The other side is marked 90HL35. It was only a couple of bucks. I guess I'll do it again on the Zs.

 

you can also buy a 1LE(think it's called) elbow without the down tube.seen them on e-bay alot.i actually have an extra but hanging on to it.found it during one of my travels to a boneyard

 

i might have one if you need another elbow